Govt To Restructure Irrigation Sub-Sector Through PPP

The Director of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Department of the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority, Mr. Asare Mintah has said that the government at the moment is in the process of restructuring the irrigation sub-sector to boost crop production in the country. According to him, this will be done by pursuing an aggressive policy which will engage the public investors to help develop dams in the country.

Mr. Mintah revealed this to Rite news in an interview, saying that there will be the need to introduce Public Private Partnership, PPP into the irrigation sub-sector. This he iterated is because government alone cannot provide enough funds required in the sector to adequately develop it.

He noted that the response to the development of new irrigation infrastructure is very slow primarily due to lack of funds. He emphasized that though government will provide some part of the infrastructure which will facilitate access to the lands for private investors.

Mr. Mintah added that government was in the PPP with a Dutch investor who cultivates flowers at Dawhenya where he in turn exports it to various European countries. Government is also in such partnership with the Kpong Irrigation Dam as well as VEGRO which engages in maize cultivation.